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It's more about that there's multiple major cities in the Bay Area and "the City" distinguishes it from the others. Conversely (and not-so coincidentally) Oakland's known as "the Town" to urban Bay Area locals. Like the term Frisco, the Town isn't used by transplants or upper class people... transplants use the Oakland version of San Fran (Oaktown) which is equally grating to any Oaklander under the age of 40 and is a dead giveaway for a transplant if the person using it is under 40.

If anything, it's a statement about how isolated and to an extent how provincial the Bay Area is... this obviously wouldn't happen in a region of the country where big cities were built very close to each other as an ubiquitous term like "the city" would be meaningless. That is, unless you're talking about New York... apparently the laws of snobbishness don't apply to them lol.

I've heard people use "Oaktown" plenty of times before, most if not all were natives but they were from the outer East Bay area. I think most times it was usually referring to the A's or Raiders when people used it. I've used before when referencing the A's.

It's acting like people in the Bay Area do exactly the same thing as people in Portland or Phoenix, why would you assume that? You wouldn't call Chicago ORD or call New York City JFK and then get huffy when people give you a funny look.

I've heard people use "Oaktown" plenty of times before, most if not all were natives but they were from the outer East Bay area. I think most times it was usually referring to the A's or Raiders when people used it. I've used before when referencing the A's.

Again, for people over 40 Oaktown was the most common nickname back then for locals and outsiders. Now it's just an easy way to self-identify as an outsider if you were born after Born To Mack dropped. Trust me, if I were to say "I used to live in Oaktown" to someone my age in Oakland they'd probably bust out laughing and/or roll their eyes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 04kL4nD

I've lived in Oakland for almost 6 years, and I've only heard people use "Oaktown" ironically

as in: "Well, it's getting late- time to head back over the bridge to Oaktown before it gets scary out" or something equally as sarcastic

I think it's more that Too $hort and MC Hammer for that matter were the window into Oakland street culture for most of America... They're the main people who popularized the term in the mainstream conscience.

Again, for people over 40 Oaktown was the most common nickname back then for locals and outsiders. Now it's just an easy way to self-identify as an outsider if you were born after Born To Mack dropped. Trust me, if I were to say "I used to live in Oaktown" to someone my age in Oakland they'd probably bust out laughing and/or roll their eyes.

I think it's more that Too $hort and MC Hammer for that matter were the window into Oakland street culture for most of America... They're the main people who popularized the term in the mainstream conscience.

Ah, yes, but still a term of endearment in the Coliseum for Raider games. RaiderNation remembers its roots.

OTOH, "Frisco" and "San Fran" are about as endeared as "Cali."

Referring to Bay Area cities by their airport initials is just altogether wrong.

Again, for people over 40 Oaktown was the most common nickname back then for locals and outsiders. Now it's just an easy way to self-identify as an outsider if you were born after Born To Mack dropped. Trust me, if I were to say "I used to live in Oaktown" to someone my age in Oakland they'd probably bust out laughing and/or roll their eyes.

Well none of the people I'm referring to are over 40 and all are in my age range, late 20's to early 30's and none are "outsiders" unless of course you consider those east of the Caldecott Tunnel "outsiders". The use of "Oaktown" isn't reserved to those over 40 or "outsiders" in my experience.

Well none of the people I'm referring to are over 40 and all are in my age range, late 20's to early 30's and none are "outsiders" unless of course you consider those east of the Caldecott Tunnel "outsiders". The use of "Oaktown" isn't reserved to those over 40 or "outsiders" in my experience.

I admit to not being an avid sports fan so maybe in the context of Oakland sports it's still used regularly. Otherwise though, "Oaktown" tends to either be used by older people or people whose sole experience with Oakland is listening to a Too $hort album. For some reason it's been embraced by hipster-wear brands so I see a lot of "I Hella Love Oaktown" shirts these days... Each and every one of those I see makes me die a little bit more inside lol.

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